Barbecue Chicken Meatballs (Whole30 + Paleo)

It’s almost Super Bowl time! I won’t even pretend to know anything about football or what teams made it to the big game this year. I’ll keep it 100 percent real with y’all and let you know that when it comes to the Super Bowl, I’m only here for the snacks. That’s it.

I love how events like the Super Bowl, baby showers, birthdays, etc. all give us an excuse to gather around some of our favorite party foods. What I don’t love is feeling crappy after eating a ton of chips and dip with a few less than healthy ingredients. So, when it comes to party foods, I always try to bring at least one healthy dish that’s still a delicious crowdpleaser but won’t leave any feeling bad at the end of the night.

Some of my all-time favorite healthier party food recipes are crispy baked buffalo wings, lemon pepper chicken wings, and this easy pineapple salsa. One of new favorite game day recipes is this recipe for barbecue chicken meatballs!

This recipe is basically everything you love about barbecue chicken in the form of a meatball. Which means that you can easily eat off of a toothpick of fork. Sounds like a winning plan to me! I love a good meatball at a party because who wants to get their hand all sticky with barbecue sauce? I mean, if I’m being totally honest, I’ll likely get a little messy for a good chicken wing, but it’s also nice to have a bit of a cleaner option.

This recipe is super simple while still packing in all the flavor. You’ll use a flavorful blend of ground chicken thighs, spices, and your favorite barbecue sauce to create a really delicious meatball. Then, you finish everything off with even more delicious barbecue sauce.

If you need to, you can easily make this recipe Whole30 compliant by using a Whole30-friendly barbecue sauce! There are a few good ones on the market these days, so go ahead and take your pick. Otherwise, feel free to use your favorite barbecue sauce that may happen to have a little sugar. It’s game day and one day of a little sugar won’t hurt ya!

BBQ Chicken Meatballs

Ingredients

1.5 pounds ground chicken

1 tsp vinegar

1 tsp garlic

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp sweet paprika

1 tsp salt

1/4 c barbecue sauce

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 cup barbecue sauce

Method

Combine the ground chicken with salt + pepper, spices, vinegar, and 1/4 cup of barbecue sauce. Roll the ground chicken into small meatballs (I used a small cookie scoop for this).

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the oil, and then add half the meatballs to the skillet. Cook for about 5 minutes until golden brown on all sides. Repeat with the remaining meatballs, adding more oil to the skillet as needed.

When all of the meatballs have been cooked through and removed from the skillet, lower the heat to medium low. Add the remaining barbecue sauce to the skillet and let cook for 1 minute. Add the meatballs back into the pan and toss to coat them in the sauce. Continue to cook for 5 minutes until the sauce begins to simmer. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.